


till the end (i will hold onto you)

by goldavn



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: 2park, College AU, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Science, Semi slowburn, i don't kill jihoon, science undergrads, woojin really likes the triple meat bliss ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-21 20:44:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13748910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldavn/pseuds/goldavn
Summary: to be honest, woojin started going to these seminars for the free pizza, but now he isn’t sure if it’s still the triple meat bliss or the cute lab student that always ‘um’s his way through half of his presentation that keeps him coming back.





	till the end (i will hold onto you)

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [TMYOUTHFW](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/TMYOUTHFW) collection. 



> so this is my submission for [tmyouth](https://twitter.com/tmyouthfw) , which is a 2PARK college au fic fest! please give this fest a lot of love and check out the other fics that are being posted.
> 
> this is a chronological time frame and at times the moments may seem fleeting or too short but i have done that on purpose so you can see how their relationship really does bloom. hopefully it isn't too choppy ~

❣

 

Woojin isn’t normally late, but whenever he is it always seems to be to things that are important. As an undergraduate he isn’t expected to attend extracurricular seminars and he doesn’t get extra credit from attending them. So why does he find himself rushing to the disease control seminar at nine o’clock in the morning on a Tuesday? For the famous triple meat bliss pizza that they serve – at nine in the morning. What university student in their right mind wouldn’t want pizza for breakfast? Especially when that pizza is free? Woojin could never pass up the opportunity and hence why he is running down the corridor, half asleep at nine thirty in the morning. He didn’t even pack a note pad or pens he just wanted some damn food. The seminar vaguely piked his interest as it relates back to his degree, and a particular area his class at the moment is focusing on. As a Bio Major, anything related to the topic was going to be useful, especially when he has two more years of the degree.

 

He slips easily into the seminar room and thankfully students are mingling and talking – obviously it is a break time. Woojin manoeuvres himself around the students, making his way to the food table. He scans the table, trying to find the pizza. When he spots it, he is disappointed to only see three pieces left. His mind tells him not to but his stomach tells him otherwise to grab a paper plate and put all of the pieces onto it. A student about to take the last piece looks at him with disgust and Woojin just rolls his eyes.

 

_“Man’s gotta eat.”_

 

He mumbles under his breath and takes the first bite of the pizza. He is gladly _not_ disappointed – it’s like heaven exploded on his tastebuds. He eats the slice while he tries to get a better spot at the back of the room – mainly so he can stuff his face without prissy science students staring at him for it. The seminar starts rolling again smoothly, and a student in a lab coat walks onto the stage. The boy is pretty, and not just pretty but stunning. Woojin watches as the student scratches his neck as a presentation slide show is projected onto the screen behind him. The boy starts pointing to the first slide, discussing the importance of disease control procedures and how they can prevent further outbreaks of viruses. It’s vaguely interesting but Woojin finds it more interesting that the boy keeps pausing and whispering _umm_ nearly every few sentences. Since he doesn’t know the guy’s name, he calls him lab coat – which is fitting considering his attire.

 

Woojin watches him intently as he continues to stuff his face with the pizza, and wonders if the student himself enjoys the oily meat tasting dough like he does. The boy manages to finish his presentation with a couple hundred more _umms_ and everyone claps as he walks off the stage. Woojin can see his shoulders relax, and watches as the student massages his neck. _Does he not like speeches? Then why would he volunteer?_ Woojin wonders.

 

He wanders around in search of any extra food but comes up dry. He is seconds from leaving when a poster on the wall captures his attention: it is showing all the future dates for the seminars to be held for the rest of the semester. He whips his phone out and takes a careful picture – none of the blurry bullshit that he won’t be able to make out in a few days when he goes back to read it. He takes one last glance back in at the food table and at lab coat. Maybe he’ll come back next week. Maybe for the pizza and maybe for the cute blonde guy wearing a lab coat.

 

 

❣

 

Tuesday is the designated day for lab workshops for Park Woojin. He has always preferred the workshops to the lectures because, well, he gets to be hands on rather than sitting at a table and writing up notes.

 

He is sitting at his usual table in the lab with his slides and microscope in front of him. The task is to find (if there is any) bacteria that may be growing on whatever it might be on the slides. He has done about five slides so far, and is finding the process rather therapeutic. A lot of the time in this course, so far, Woojin has found that the lab work has been relaxing, because you are focusing everything on this one thing for two to three hours at a time.

 

When he first started the class the professor in charge of the workshop had wanted to pair them up with other students in the class. The poor guy caused an uproar – none of the students wanted to be paired up. Because of this, Professor Ha decided that it was best to let them go about their own research or tasks rather than be with another person they probably don’t even want to say hi to.

 

Woojin was in his own little world, intent on finishing the slides in a timely manner when a mop blonde hair catches his attention out of the corner of his eye. He adjusts his eyes after taking the safety goggles off and finds himself looking at none other than _lab coat_. The guy doesn’t recognise him, he doesn’t even pay Woojin any attention.

 

Woojin certainly recognises _him._ And since when was he in his class? He thinks to himself that he really needs to pay more attention to others from now on, especially since he had been missing out on seeing lab coat in his class this whole time.

 

❣

 

Woojin arrived early to the seminar on purpose. He wanted to eat more of the delicious pizza hat is served but he always wanted to see if lab coat would be attending again. Sure enough, Woojin spots him hanging around the stage area. They’re about to catch each other’s eye when Woojin forces himself to look elsewhere – he doesn’t want to seem like a grade a creep. Instead, he hangs around the food table, and scoffs down as many slices of the triple meat bliss as he can.

 

As he wipes his fingers clean from the oil the seminar starts and this time it is a continuation of the disease control presentation that was held last week. When lab coat, Woojin decided to call him, came on stage he was standing taller than he had the last time and his face shone with confidence. Woojin thought that when he started talking he would completely different to his last speech.

 

He was wrong.

 

Lab coat ummed the whole way through his speech, but only paused a few times which gave Woojin a feeling of pride. He found himself smiling widely as everyone clapped for lab coat as he made his way off stage. Woojin, being his awkward self, doesn’t really know what to do now that the seminar is over but the thought is squashed when he sees a piece of triple meat bliss sitting on a paper plate with no-one next to it. He looks around him and sneakily slides the pizza from the plate and into his mouth.

 

When he turns around, lab coat, is right in front of him and staring at his pizza filled mouth.

 

Woojin splutters a little from the close proximity and this causes lab coat to chuckle.

 

“What would you say if I said that you just ate my pizza?” he says. It’s quite a sight. Lab coat is clearly acting, the way he is jutting his hip out and the stern expression that looks like it will turn into a boisterous laugh within seconds.

 

“I’d say it’s delicious.” Woojin smiles as he licks the oil on his fingers.

 

“You owe me a slice then.” lab coat says before walking off to a bunch of professors near the stage.

 

“Uh, okay.” he murmurs through his still full mouth. Except one problem begins to arise.

 

He doesn’t know his name.

 

❣ 

 

It’s another one of those mornings where Woojin wants curse out his alarm clock for not waking him up but he can’t because he is already running late to his first lecture of the day. He can’t afford to and nor does he want to fail his classes, so that is how he finds himself running through the campus wearing half of his pajamas and with a thermos full of coffee.

 

Woojin calls it, the true university outfit, because who has time to choose their outfits carefully in the morning with time to spare – certainly not _him._

When Woojin enters the lecture theatre the professor gives him a nod but thankfully doesn’t call him out for arriving late. Lectures aren’t compulsory in the first place, but Woojin never wants to miss one in case he misses something drastically important. He eyes the hall for his usual spot, the two-seaters at the back when he finds someone sitting their instead.

 

_Lab coat._

 

Lab coat is sitting in his spot, and Woojin wants to be angry but instead, he is filled with airy excitement as he rushes quietly up the stairs. Thankfully when he reaches the table, the professor calls out a ten-minute break, so Woojin can tell lab coat he is in his spot.

 

“Uh, hi. Do you mind if I?” Woojin asks, pointing to the chair instead of fully finishing his sentence.

 

“If you…?” Lab coat responds.

 

“I don’t want to seem like one of _those_ people, but, you’re sitting in my seat.”

 

He smirks when Woojin says it, but moves along to the open seat. “Sorry.” He gives Woojin a gentle smile as he moves the remaining things from the seat, which allows Woojin to actually sit down himself. Finally. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see lab coat watching him as he pulls his notepad and laptop out of his bag and continuing to do so as he logs into his account.

 

“Do I have something on me?” Woojin asks. Lab coat looks like he has been caught doing something he shouldn’t, which makes Woojin feel some kind of way, but tosses the feeling aside.

 

“Oh, uh, no. I just haven’t seen you in this class before.”

 

He genuinely sounds confused and maybe Woojin thinks lab coat doesn’t remember.

 

“I’m Jihoon. Park Jihoon.” Lab coat (now Jihoon) holds his hand out.

 

Woojin shakes it firmly, “I’m Park Woojin.”

 

“Okay, Park Woojin. Would you like to know what we have covered so far?”

 

“Please.”

 

Jihoon shares the notes he has made so far with Woojin, and gives him a run-down of the topics that have been covered.

 

“I hate this topic. I just can’t wrap my head around that one part of the molecule interconversion.”

 

“Me too! That’s why it has a big question mark next to it.” Jihoon chuckles as Woojin sighs loudly over their shared hatred.

 

“I’m going to have to spend the rest of the day studying this.”

 

“If you want, we could go to the library together?”

 

Woojin wonders how he came to gather this much luck. Lab coat, Park Jihoon, a cute boy, offering to study with him. Hell fucking _yes._

“Yeah, sure. Do you want to go after this class?”

 

“Absolutely.” 

 

❣

 

Woojin knows too much. After only knowing Jihoon properly for one day, he knows too damn much about the guy. After their study session yesterday, Woojin feels like he has a new friend in Jihoon, and boy, is he a breath of fresh air. Despite the fact he can’t succeed in confident public speaking, he is well versed in small talk and well, just being really damn cute.

 

He is a biochemistry major like himself and is focus point is disease control, which is the class Woojin is taking for extra points. It explains why Jihoon is doing the presentations and Woojin feels a bit sorry for him, considering how he doesn’t have the confidence on stage. Jihoon had then told him that bio-chemistry had not been his original plan. His dream ever since he had been a child was to perform on stage. Jihoon was an amazing dancer that had attended one of the best performing arts schools in South Korea, yet he didn’t have the confidence to succeed outside of the school. He had attended auditions for the big three and even got into SM entertainment. Unfortunately, Jihoon learned the hard way that his dream was no longer a dream, and instead more of a longing for something that would never happen. After he left SM, he decided to chase after one of his more realistic dreams – science.

 

Funnily enough, the Walking Dead was one of Jihoon’s pushes back into the academic road. The idea of finding cures for diseases and researching the causes of spreads was intriguing to Jihoon, and so, that is how he finds himself in front of Woojin in the present.

 

To be fair, they are a perfect match for each other.

 

Woojin has just finished studying in the library for the day when he spies Jihoon sitting at a table alone in the hall. It looks like he is about to start eating a ramen cup but the sight isn’t very pretty. After he takes the first bite, Woojin can see him grab his throat and pull the poutiest face he may have ever seen by a twenty-one-year-old. He is trying to fan the air around for relief but it doesn’t look like it is giving him much. Woojin jogs over to the table and puts his backpack on the desk.

 

“Hey.” Woojin can’t help but chuckle when Jihoon acts like a fire-breathing dragon. Woojin fumbles around in his bag to find the milk drink he had saved for later, but it looks like he will be giving it up for the greater good. He places it in front of the suffering boy and Jihoon almost cries from the sight of it.

 

“Oh my god.” He opens the milk in one swift motion and chugs a good portion of it back. He wipes his swollen lips of any excess milk and turns to look up at Woojin with glassy eyes.

 

“How do I look?”

 

“Like an idiot.”

 

Jihoon gives him the look of death before actually agreeing with him. “Thank you. For the milk. I don’t know why I bothered trying to eat that.”

 

“I guess you don’t really care when you are hungry.”

 

“No. I guess not. But thank you, Woojin. Really.”

 

“It is my pleasure.”

 

❣

 

 It is another Tuesday morning and Woojin is making his way to yet another seminar for the triple meat bliss. Except, when he arrives there he finds that there is no pizza set out at all. He shouldn’t be that irritated by it, but it is the reason he has gotten up at seven o’clock to get ready this morning. But that might also be because of a certain boy that may or may turn up at the said seminar Woojin was going to attend.

 

He really doesn’t know what to do so he stands at the back and sways on heels as he waits to see if at least Jihoon would turn up. As if on call, he does. He is in his lab coat as usual and he spots Woojin, which earns himself a small wave. He gets up on the stage and plays around with podium before he taps on the microphone.

 

“Good Morning everyone, I hope you have all gotten off to a good start…”

 

Woojin starts blocking out his words and just focuses on him. On the way that he looks uncomfortable on the stage yet so comfortable talking about the topic he is presenting. Woojin doesn’t need to listen to him, all he wants to do is watch. Within no time the speech is over and Jihoon had ummed his way through it yet again. He makes his way down from the stage and Woojin can’t help but notice the way that his hands shake as he waves hello.

 

Woojin dares to take his hand in his to keep it still, and Jihoon places his other hand on top of his, much to his surprise.

 

“Thank you.” His breaths are shaky and Woojin is genuinely worried.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah… just public speaking makes my anxiety peak.” Woojin rubs his hands as they stand at the back of the hall.

 

“I’d offer you some pizza to make you feel better, but turns out they weren’t supplying any today.” Woojin pouts as he passes on his dilemma to Jihoon, who just smirks.

 

“Don’t smile like that, I am very disappointed.”

 

“I’m sorry.” Jihoon is laughing now.

 

“What?”

 

“I told them not to on purpose.”

 

Woojin eyes go wide and he feigns a fake annoyance.

 

“What? It’s not healthy for you.”

 

“And what do you suggest is? Eggs on toast?”

 

“Better. Korean barbeque.” Jihoon has a devilish glint in his eyes, and his lips are strangely pouted – the whole look on his face is an entire mind fuck of different emotions. Why is he so cute and why is he so… _enticing?_

 

“I think you mean expensive.” Woojin scoffs.

 

The look Jihoon had previously softened into a small smile paired with light pink cheeks, “It’ll be my treat.”

 

“Wait, are you serious?”

 

“Yes! Now hurry up let’s go.”

 

❣

 

They are sitting at a small restaurant down one of the side alleys. Jihoon seems to know the staff very well and the second they arrived, the owner told the chef that Jihoon was there and to start cooking up the usual.

 

“Ah, our Jihoon has a guest! He normally eats alone so it’s nice to see him eating with a friend.” The woman is older, old enough to be their mothers older sister – or something along those lines.

 

“Well, I’m glad I am going to eat with him too.” Woojin sends the owner his toothy grin and the affection in the woman’s eyes is endearing. Trust Jihoon to come to a place like this.

 

“So, what do you normally eat when you’re here?”

 

“I set of meat, maybe if I’m still hungry I’ll order a ramen afterward.”

 

“Now that, Jihoon, is not healthy.”

 

“Hey, at least it’s not pizza.”

 

He has a point. The two sit in the booth and chat about small things – ideas and concepts from class, what their goals are for the trimester, what they usually like to do in their spare time. It was a breath of fresh air being around Jihoon, and Woojin thinks the guy is really special – the aura he has and the way he speaks just gives him so much character and Woojin definitely wouldn’t mind becoming best friends… or perhaps something more. Despite his great personality, another think Jihoon excels in is his good looks. He could easily be a model or an actor – the chin is sharp and matches his cheekbones, his eyes are big and doe-like, and his skin is so smooth and shiny it looks like it has been photoshopped. It’s almost too much to take in but Woojin would gladly stare at him all day, just admiring the beauty of Park Jihoon.

 

When the meat comes out, Woojin wants to take the lead and grill the meat, but Jihoon refuses to let him. He snatches the tongs right back out of Woojin’s hands and into his own. Woojin has to admit, he does a fucking good job of grilling the meat. It tastes heavenly. Jihoon looks adorable when he eats, Woojin noticed. His cheeks puff out and the oil glistens on top of his lips which makes for a pretty gorgeous sight. Jihoon catches Woojin’s glances (more like stares) and lifts his head to meet the others gaze.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Nothing. You just look… happy” It makes Jihoon smile.

 

“Nothing like a good meal and good company”

 

Now its Woojin’s turn to smile. He tries to force the corners of his lips down so he doesn’t smile like the biggest dork but he ends up doing so anyway.

 

“I agree”

 

Woojin wholeheartedly agrees and hopes they will eat together more often.

 

He fucking _hopes_ so.

 

❣ 

 

When Woojin wakes up his greeted by a flurry of text messages rather than his usual alarm. His initial thought is that he has woken up before it has had a chance to go off – but he is unfortunately mistaken. When he glances at the time on his phone, he can feel nausea bubbling in his stomach – he is late.

 

It shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but Woojin had promised himself that he was going to focus and put his all into his studies in order to get the most rewarding grades he could for himself. And maybe because he was missing out on sitting next to Woojin.

 

_*beep* *beep*  *beep*_

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| Hey are u coming?

| _8:50 am_

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| Lol u are cutting it close today. _*cry emoji*_

| _8:54 am_

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| Wait are u seriously not coming??

| _8:59 am_

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| I am so not taking notes for u, traitor.

| _9:05 am_

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| U ARE SO LUCKY IM TAKING NOTES FOR YOU I SWEAR TO FKING GOD, CHAMSAE.

| _9:47 am_

 

Woojin groans as he forces himself up and out of the comfort of his bed, slipping on some slippers as he wanders towards his desk. It is cluttered with post it notes, highlighters and spare refill pages after he spent all of last night furiously trying to get key concepts for the class engrained in his head. Much to his avail, nothing he studied last night has really stuck, and Woojin has a split second of not bothering going back to any classes at all today. His phone beeps and cuts his thoughts short, and later on he would thank his phone for doing that.

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| You better be awake lol.

| _10:07am_

 

As soon as his eyes read the message, a knock is heard at his door. He wanders over, still half asleep if he is being honest, and reveals Jihoon waiting in the doorway.

 

He gasps, “Oh my gosh, you have risen!”

 

“I can’t believe I slept through my alarm.” Jihoon lets himself into Woojin’s room and finds himself a comfortable position in Woojin’s desk chair. He starts unpacking a bag and places a refill pad littered with scribbles and places a large lunchbox next to it.

 

“We are studying together today since you couldn’t make it to class.”

 

“And who said you could invite yourself into my room? This is an invasion of privacy.”

 

Woojin pulls his blanket off his bed and wraps it around his shoulders as he walks towards Jihoon.

 

“Me, myself and I did.”

 

Woojin laughs. “Fine, and I’m guessing you brought snacks too?” Woojin says as he shoves his hand down to open the lunch box. Steaming hot dumplings on top of rice and various other side dishes wrapped individually are revealed and Woojin’ stomach starts grumbling. He automatically tries to dip his fingers in to retrieve a dumpling but Jihoon swats his hand away.

 

“Study first and then food.” He promptly puts the lid back on top of the lunchbox and starts to find his spare notebooks.

 

“Your room is so messy Woojin, jeez.”

 

It’s no lie. Woojin’s room is a pit, but Jihoon being in it

 

Over the course of the morning and the afternoon, the pair make good progress with their notes and pre-readings and soon enough Jihoon decides it is time for him to leave. He’s packed up his things and is getting ready to head off when Woojin decides to be daring.

 

“Next time you come over, would you like to watch a movie or something instead?”

 

Jihoon looks at him for a long time and it makes Woojin think he has made a mistake. But Jihoon surprises him as usual, “Yeah, no I’d love that. That would be cool.”

 

They awkwardly hover as some sort of weird tension fills the air around them, causing Woojin to step out and open the door for Jihoon.

 

“Cool. I will see you tomorrow then I guess.”

 

“Only if you’re not sleeping in, remember.”

 

Woojin laughs and nods and Jihoon is on his way. He watches as he walks down the corridor and gives Woojin a final wave as he turns to descend down the stairwell.

 

Woojin knows he’d be seeing Jihoon regardless of whether he is late or doesn’t turn up to class. In fact, he’d love to be late or sleep in every day if it meant having Jihoon all to himself in his room for hours on end. 

❣

 

Woojin has decided that he likes Jihoon. After sitting and contemplating the feelings he has in his mind and body, he comes to the conclusion that he really likes Jihoon. It makes him want to receive some sort of sign that Jihoon felt the same way, but knowing him Woojin really doubts he would be one to make the first move.

 

They are in lab class and are the only two students working together. Professor Ha is watching them like a hawk, probably so that if he sees them slacking off he has an excuse to tell a few students off, but everyone knows that he is just a big softie – not harmful at all.

 

They are looking at more slides under the microscope and Jihoon has trembling hands.

 

“Are they okay?”

 

“Yeah, I just had too much coffee before I came here. It reminds me of the time I had one too many red bull and vodkas at this high school party once and –“

 

Woojin is smiling sort of like a maniac at Jihoon’s story, and Jihoon doesn’t know whether to feel endearment or as though Woojin is going to mock him for his teenage stupidity.

 

“That is so incredibly adorable.” It was meant to stay in his head but because its Woojin, of course, the words actually slip his mouth. Jihoon can feel his ears go red and he is thankful that his hair covers them enough so that Woojin can’t see his reaction to those words, even if it is only subtle. There is something about the way that Woojin let the words fall that make Jihoon think they have another meaning perhaps – “You are incredibly adorable.” Or “How are you this adorable?” or “Why are you so cute?”.

 

They are all possibilities in Jihoon’s mind and little did he know that Woojin was thinking all of those, but the wording just came out a little mashed.

 

Woojin has gotten his sign but unfortunately this time around, he wasn’t actually able to witness it.

 

❣

| **Jihoonie:**

| How does ice cream sound?

| _11:07am_

 

| **Woojin:**

| It doesn’t sound like studying lol.

| _11:09am_

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| But it is delicious.

| _11:10am_

 

| **Jihoonie:**

| We r getting ice cream whether you like it or not. We can study later.

| _11:11am_

 

| **Woojin:**

| You’re shouting.

| _11:14am_

 

It was too fucking cold to be standing by the river let alone while eating a cold sweet treat. Woojin would much rather be curled up in his dorm with his blankie and watching some true crime documentary he had been getting into recently. Aside from the discomfort of the cold, his companion is nothing to complain about. Jihoon had picked him up earlier and called them a taxi down to the river. Up until now, Woojin had been overwhelmed by the amount of affection (?) Jihoon had been showering him with. They weren’t uncommon actions – offering him hot packs, offering him one of many layers of coats, standing too close to keep themselves warm. It was driving Woojin insane.

 

Jihoon had taken them to a small ice cream cart in the park and ordered both of them ice cream. Jihoon had gone for strawberries and cream, whereas Woojin went for a grape one. Grape ice cream… who knew this day would give Woojin the best invention ever.

 

They’re currently sitting at a picnic table together and eating their ice cream when Jihoon slips a hand into Woojin’s.

 

“You’re hands are so cold!” Jihoon takes both of Woojin's in his own and starts trying to warm them up and Woojin thinks he could pass out from the cuteness that was exuding from him.

 

“It’s okay, it’s just from the ice cream.”

 

Jihoon delves into his pockets and pulls out another hot pack to replace Jihoons hands in his own.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

 

Woojin takes a bite out of his ice cream and feels the sweet food get all over his bottom lip. Jihoon laughs at the sight of it and especially when Woojin fails miserably at trying to get rid of it.

 

“Here let me.”

 

Jihoon is leaning over before Woojin can properly adjust to the situation unfolding in front of him and soon enough he feels Jihoon planting a gentle kiss on his lips. He closes his eyes, partly from shock and partly from the act of actually being kissed by Park fucking Jihoon but just as Jihoon initiates the kiss it takes him seconds to pull away from embarrassment.

 

“You…”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Same.”

 

It’s like language has transformed into something of their own, that their unfinished sentences and one-word answers are things only the two of them can understand. Woojin runs his fingers over his lips as Jihoon smugly licks his ice cream next to him.

 

All they can do is sit there and give each other smiles because both of them are just so… content. Happy, and maybe, a little in love. 

 

❣

 

They’re in lab class and Professor Ha had told everyone he had prepared a special activity for the students today. They were going to be organizing test vials that held some strains of viruses they were going to be studying later on in the course. He had warned them that a couple of the vials were dangerous but he had faith that with the correct safety gear, delicate hands and the mind of future scientists, that everyone would get on just fine.

 

“Talk about a learning experience.” Woojin had mumbled under his breath as he and Jihoon had started putting on the gear that Professor Ha had put on everyone’s workstations. They slip on the coats, gloves, and goggles and start organizing which vials need to go where. All is well until Jihoon’s clumsiness gets the best of him. He grips one of the vials too hard and the glass shatters, letting the liquid inside of it spill out and underneath the surface of his gloves. It all happens quickly and is a blur of motions but Woojin sees the glass and Jihoon’s shocked face and both of them a paralyzed. Professor Ha who had been walking past even stopped in his tracks. Woojin slowly peels Jihoon’s glove back to find that where the liquid had met the skin, there is a red rash already forming up his wrist.

 

“P-Professor…”

 

He walks over immediately and once he catches a glimpse of the rash he orders everyone out of the workshop.

 

“By the looks of it isn’t airborne but because you have touched it, Woojin, I’m sorry but I’ll have to have you in here with him.”

 

It’s all still a blur because before they both know it Jihoon starts coughing and Professor Ha is on the phone, on the phone to disease control. Jihoon starts feeling faint and it’s only for a second that he sees black but when he can see properly once mall, he is in a hospital bed. He moves his arm to scratch his face but there is a stabbing in his hand. An IV drip is connected to him and he can see bandages over where the rashes had been on his skin.

 

“You’re awake.”

 

“What the fuck happened?”

 

“Shh, shh.” Woojin pets his hair and sits on the side of the bed next to him.

 

“You passed out. Whatever it was that got on you isn’t toxic, but your skin and body reacted to it in the worst possible way.”

 

"Oh god..."

 

"This is so embarrassing. And how am I meant to pay for this? I don't have health insurance!"

 

"Jihoonie, Professor Ha has taken care of it. Don't worry." He places a reassuring kiss against Jihoons forehead, just as the nurse comes in to check on him.

 

She tells him that he will have flu-like symptoms for the next few weeks and that he should take it easy. She also told him that if the rash starts to itch too much, darkens in colour or starts spreading, that he was to come to the emergency room immediately. He is given a tube of ointment for the rashes and some medicine to take to battle any bacteria he might come in contact with – his immune system will low for the next few weeks as a consequence of whatever it was in the vial.

 

“I can’t wait to get home.” Jihoon coughs as he is given his cell phone and clothes back and the nurse gives him. Woojin links their hands together and makes sure to not let Jihoon go. They order a taxi, and Woojin was originally going to go back to his dorm but he didn’t feel right leaving Jihoon alone.

 

“Will you stay with me?”

 

“Of course. Of course, I can.”

 

 

❣

 

They’re lying in Jihoon’s bed with the blankets wrapped around them and they’re watching a not so interesting movie on his laptop. It is supposed to be a form of relaxation but sure enough being in each other’s arms is more relaxing than the horror movie on in front of them ever would be. Jihoon had been given the clear to leave the hospital a few hours ago and they’ve been in bed ever since the moment they stood inside Jihoon’s dorm room.

 

“You really scared me today Jihoon.”

 

“I sort of really scared me too.”

 

“On the bright side, don’t you think it would be a funny story to tell your kids one day? And the look on Professor Ha’s face was priceless.”

 

That makes Jihoon chuckle, effectively pressing himself against Woojin further.

 

“It was a mistake, but I’m glad I made one in a controlled environment. Who knows what could have happened if I had actually done that out in the field.”

 

“It won’t happen again, right? Jihoon, promise me you’ll be careful from now on.”

 

Woojin holds out his pinkie finger in order for Jihoon to agree to the promise but Jihoon has a better idea in mind.

 

He seals his promise with only the best thing to seal any promise with – a kiss. The kiss catches Woojin off guard, but nonetheless, he presses his own lips against Jihoon’s.

 

_“I promise you.”_

❣

**Author's Note:**

> i have missed writing 2park so much, honestly, this has cleansed my soul. 
> 
> here are a few little facts, just in case they weren't quite clear:  
> \- Woojin and Jihoon both live in dorms on campus (hence why woojin still manages to get to class so quickly even after sleeping in)  
> \- Jihoon has always been a drifter, both with friendships and relationships, which makes Woojin his first proper and constant relationship he has experienced
> 
> \- The outbreak scene was inspired by that episode in teen wolf hehe
> 
> Please let me know if you enjoyed it or what you liked the most, and don't forget to leave a kudos if you did indeed enjoy. 
> 
> You can reach me at my [twitter](https://twitter.com/goldavnao3) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/goldavnao3)
> 
> Remember to stay hydrated and keep healthy!
> 
> \- em ♡


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